Explore the New BMW i8 – Revolutionary Hybrid Sports Car

When the BMW i8 2015 was first introduced as a concept car in 2009 it got a lot of people interested. Since that time this German based motor has become a hot selling hybrid vehicle in the automotive market. As a matter of fact many industry insider consider this vehicle to be the future of cars. This vehicle is the first plug-in hybrid auto from BMW and it is also a sports car. While there are other hybrid plug-in model sports car none of them are as appealing as the i8.

Engine Specs

Before discussing the finer points of this vehicle, the specifications for the engine and technical aspects will be examined. The 2014 i8 is designed with a 6-speed automatic combustion engine and a two-stage automatic electric motor. This vehicle has a power/torqu rating has a combined 362 PS (266 kW; 357 hp)@? 570 N.m (420 lb.ft)@?. What these numbers reveal is that the i8 can reach speeds up to 155 mph when using the combustion motor and 75 mph when using the electric engine. Keep in mind that the i8 has an electronic boost mode when the combustion engine is being used which allows drivers to reach the vehicle’s maximum speed when needed. The i8 can also reach 62 mph in 4.4 seconds. The gas engine on the i8 operates the rear wheels while the electric engine powers the front.
This vehicle is also equipped with a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder Turbo engine and the vehicle contains a 7.1 kWh lithoium-ion battery pack that is used to charge the car. The battery uses intelligent engergy management which means that owners will not waste energy when it’s not needed. The vehicle is a 2-door coupe and it has curb weight of 3274 lbs. It’s a 190-inches long, 51-inches high and is 76-inches wide.

Photo Credit : bmwusa.com

The Chassis and Body Design

Carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastic combined with other durable structural materials such as steel make up the vehicle’s chassis. The cabin area and various parts of the engine are constructed with this material as well. Carbon-fiber is lighter than steel and aluminum but it has the ability to absorb a lot more shock from crashes. The engineers who created this vehicle made the front and rear sub-frames to take on most of the impact if a crash takes place.
As a side note, BMW has specialized repair technicians at unique repair shops that are available to work exclusively on any damage to the i8’s frame or body. By the way the i8 has not been crash tested by the NHTSA or the IIHS. This vehicle is so exclusive that it probably will not undergo such testing. The reason why the i8 has not been crash tested is because it’s a higher end exclusive vehicle that is constructed out of the same materials that are used for many professional racing cars. So automotive safety organizations will make allowances for this type of vehicle because of this design and construct.

Fuel Economy and Gas Mileage

The i8 is supposed to have the ability to use 94 mpg but a more realistic figure would probably be 26 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. The three fuel tanks are supposed to be able to contain 11 gallons of fuel. This vehicle is supposed to be at least 50% more effecient than other sports models in its class. i8 owners will need a BMW iWallbox or charger cable to power up their battery. They can also juice up their batterys at public charging stations. This vehicle can even be charged while driving in the Sport mode.

Driving Modes

There are 4 driving modes for the i8 and they include the Comfort, Eco Pro, Sport and eDrive. Comfort mode uses both the combustion and electronic motor. The Eco mode automatically adjusts certain systems within the car (such as heating and cooling) to operate as efficiently as possible. Sport mode allows drivers to use the manual transmission. eDrive is used to operate the vehicle soly off its all-electric motor. When the vehicle is in this mode it will not use the combustion engine until the battery is nearly drained.

Interior Features

The i8 can be purchased with a choice of three different types of interior designs and thy include Mega, Giga and Tera. The Mega is designed from materials that are not derived from animal products. The Giga is mix of leather and fabric and the Giga is an all leather design. The interior designs are also referred to as Halo, Carpo and Neso. The vehicle has different wheel designs and a large digital display screen that allows driver to listen to music, make hands free calls and monitor their car’s various systems. The dashboard is ergonomically designed with easy access buttons for various controls. Passengers sit low to the ground and there is little room (except for children) to ride in the back seat. The trunk area is small and does not have much space. Thought it is compact the car gives drivers and their passengers lots of COMFORT.

Exterior Design

The i8 is a magnificent car to behold from the outside. There is no other car on the road that looks quite like it. It’s distinctive style is highlighted by its unique body form which features scissor doors, a low areodynamic design and its amazing wheels. This vehicle has a wedge shape that gives it a character and style that can only be found in a high end vehicle. Four colors are made available for the i8 and they include Sophisto Grey, Silver Metallic, Pontiac Blue and Crystal White. Each vehicle comes with a highlight color that is BMW i blue or Frozen Grey Metallic.

Price

The BMW i8 is listed at $136,625 and it available from BMW dealerships that offer this particular model.

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